By Lynn R. Mitchell
Thursday I traveled to Lexington and Rockbridge and back to Augusta before heading to Waynesboro. The rural beauty of mountains and Shenandoah Valley never cease to amaze me in this part of Virginia. With dark clouds hanging low, I ran through several rain showers. This picture was in Rockbridge looking toward the Blue Ridge Mountains.
By Katy Lord
Fall in Franklin, Tennessee … I was flattered to have my photo shared by Visit Franklin!
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Katy Mitchell Lord grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia but now lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee. A 2012 graduate of Staunton’s Mary Baldwin College, she earned a BS in Sustainable Business with a minor in Marketing. Katy is the daughter of Lynn R. Mitchell and shares a love of photography.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
My parents came to visit this week for five days of spending time together enjoying autumn in western Virginia. Not only did we enjoy lively conversations and a visit to the Dayton Farmers Market but they were here for Halloween and our trick-or-treaters.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
If you left Fairlawn Farm this weekend and weren’t in the fall mood, there’s not much more that could be done because it doesn’t get much better than all the activities offered by Highland County’s Sheriff Tim Duff and his wife Terry. They were celebrating autumn in a big way with friends and visitors at their farm just south of Monterey near Mill Gap and, just as he does during March’s Maple Festival, Tim was teaching the old ways from the past by using vintage equipment with a little help from his friends.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
The Blue Ridge Parkway Color Daily Tracker is reporting, “This will be one of the best weekends of the year to travel the southern sections of the Parkway. We are getting reports of near peak color around Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Craggy Gardens, and the Balsam range.”
To read more or sign up for email notifications, check out the Blue Ridge Parkway Color Daily Tracker.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Fall! Cooler temps, colorful leaves, and fun Saturdays with the Augusta County Library and its branches. To celebrate this exciting time of year, there are free Saturday events going on throughout the county.
Fall Fun Day will take place at 1 p.m., Saturday, October 18 at the Churchville Branch Library and 1 p.m., Saturday, October 25 at the Fishersville Library. Children of all ages will decorate locally grown pumpkins, play games, and make a scarecrow. Participants should bring old clothing for their scarecrow—the library will provide the stuffing.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
The bright moonbeams that woke me at 3:30 this morning (see Up early to watch lunar eclipse of ‘blood moon’) dimmed as the lunar eclipse began a couple of hours later, slowly darkening what had been a brightly-lit night. Watching from the front yard beginning around 5:45, the “blood red” color, which seemed like more of a burnt orange, took over the moon as the eclipse proceeded. The wind was blustery as it has been the past six days and the temperature was 54 degrees, not cold but nippy enough that I retreated to my car and turned on the heat. At about the halfway point, I posted a grainy eclipse iPhone photo on Facebook.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
As we enjoyed the warm autumn afternoon, my friend Barb and I caught up on all the goings-on in the area as well as life in general. We were at an outdoor table at McAlister’s Deli in Waynesboro, soaking in the warm breeze and relishing the second day of October over iced tea — sweet for her, unsweetened for me — and sandwiches. It was a long, leisurely, much-needed catching-up, a respite in the middle of busy days and, for her, moving to Fishersville from north of Waynesboro. I like the new abode because it’s closer to our circle of friends, not that distance has ever kept us apart.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Celebrate the beauty of autumn at Highland County’s annual Hands & Harvest Fall Foliage Festival this weekend Virginia’s “Little Switzerland.” Held Saturday and Sunday, October 11-12, this event offers two full days of activity and entertainment to observe the mountain forests of Virginia’s Western Highlands transformed into a rich palette of russet, gold, and scarlet.
Seasonal foods, including apple dumplings, barbecues, Allegheny Mountain Trout, and homemade baked goods will be available in the historic districts of Monterey and McDowell. Take time to explore the back roads by enjoying one of Highland County’s Scenic Driving Tours or Barn Quilt Trails.
2014 EVENTS
By Lynn R. Mitchell
A small mountain road covered with colorful autumn leaves, an elevation in excess of 4,000 feet, breath-taking views … and not another person in sight. That was the highlight of our Sunday wanderings in Highland County as we drove up and over Jack Mountain. These are just a few of the photos I took at our frequent stops to take in the beauty of what was around us. See also October color and back roads in Virginia’s Highland County, Finding autumn in Highland County, Full color in western Highland County, and Evelyn’s pantry is hometown deli on Monterey’s main street.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Leaving Augusta County at 7:30 Sunday morning, we headed to Highland County a short 20-30 minutes west to see how much autumn had advanced in the five days since we were last there. Rain and high winds over the weekend had blown leaves that were at peak on Tuesday off the trees so we were anxious to see how far east the color change could be found. We drove to the western border of Highland on the West Virginia line where color had been at peak on Tuesday and found some trees were bare and others were nearly so. As we checked out various back roads, the brightest leaf color seemed to be higher elevations closer to Monterey. We were not disappointed at the continuous display of trees showing off their vivid palate of autumn red, gold, burgandy, yellow, and orange, reminiscent of New England with sugar maples in all their fall glory.
Sheep sheep sheep. They are one of the mainstays in this part of western Virginia. For more photos taken last week of Highland County autumn colors, see Finding autumn in Highland County, Full color in western Highland County, and Evelyn’s pantry is hometown deli on Monterey’s main street.
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